University of Hawaii Cancer Center CCSG

ABSTRACT The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center (UHCC) is to reduce the burden of cancer through research, education, patient care and community outreach with an emphasis on the unique ethnic, cultural and environmental characteristics of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. To accomplish this mission, UHCC is organized into two cancer research programs: Population Sciences in the Pacific (PSP) and Cancer Biology (CB). Programs are each organized with two components spanning the study of basic mechanism and etiologies of cancer to addressing targets and interventions in order to translate discovery to the population it serves. Within its programs, UHCC has a strong foundation of cancer research with over $15 million in peer-reviewed funding, 72.5% of which is from the NCI. PSP has 28 full members and CB has 20 full members who are highly collaborative as evidenced by a high percentage of intra- and inter-programmatic, and inter-institutional, research collaborations and publications. To facilitate successful attainment of research goals, UHCC supports five shared resources: Biostatistics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, Analytical Biochemistry, Nutrition Support, and Metabolomics. UHCC serves a unique ethnically diverse catchment area in Hawai‘i and the Pacific and a unique environment rich in natural resources. This drives UHCC’s focus on ethnic diversity and cancer and research and community engagement directed toward addressing significant cancer health disparities among specific populations, including Native Hawaiians. Research programs, community education, public health and clinical trial interventions are targeted toward cancers of importance in the catchment area and basic investigations include evaluation of compounds from the environment for drug discovery research. A unique, community-network based clinical research enterprise has been established through which UHCC provides access to cancer clinical trials for over 70% of the Hawai‘i population; this is supported in part by a UHCC-led affiliation of three competing health systems as a cooperative venture supporting UHCC. Cancer prevention activities across the Pacific, in collaboration with the University of Guam and others, have had major impact on cancer control and have led to the formation of the UHCC-led Trans-Pacific Partnership for Cancer Prevention. The importance of UHCC in the region is exemplified by its significant impact on cancer control legislation and State cancer policy. The University of Hawai‘i (UH) has made significant investments in UHCC. With the recruitment new Director, UH reaffirmed the Director’s direct authority over faculty appointments and affairs, Center budget and operations, and space allocation in the 187,000 sq. ft. Cancer Center building. The University, Governor and State have provided increased financial support for operations and authorized numerous faculty recruitments to strengthen existing programs and embark on new initiatives informed through the UHCC strategic planning process in support of its mission to reduce the burden of cancer.